Rotary handle door latch for dishwashers

ABSTRACT

A door latch for holding a door in sealing position in an opening of a cabinet such as a cabinet of a front loading dishwasher characterized by a bolt which is pivotably mounted in a housing of the latch device for movement in a first plane and is deflectable in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, and an actuating lever which is mounted for rotation in the housing and has a portion engaged in a slot of the bolt, so that rotation of the lever in one direction through a first portion of an arc causes pivoting of the bolt in the first plane out of engagement with a strike mounted at the edge of the opening of the cabinet and further rotation causes deflecting of the bolt to provide clearance of the bolt from the strike to enable opening of the door. Preferably, a door switch is mounted on the housing and has a switch actuating member pivotably mounted on the housing which member engages the strike and depresses the switch when the door is in the sealing position.

States Patet [191 Spiegei et al.

[ ROTARY HANDLE DOOR LATCH FOR DISHWASHERS [75] Inventors: Ray W. Spiegel, Stevensville; Chester W. Wassilak, Benton Harbor; Adolph D. Corn, Stevensville, all of Mich.

[73] Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation, Benton Harbor, Mich.

[22] Filed: Aug. 2, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 385,051

3,325,200 6/1967 Fowler 292/113 Primary Eraminer-Robert L. Wolfe Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hill, Gross, Simpson, Van

Santen, Steadman, Chiara & Simpson Dec. 17, 1974 [57] ABSTRACT A door latch for holding a door in sealing position in an opening of a cabinet such as a cabinet of a front loading dishwasher characterized by a bolt which is pivotably mounted in a housing of the latch device for movement in a first plane and is deflectable in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane, and an actuating lever which is mounted for rotation in the housing and has a portion engaged in a slot of the bolt, so that rotation of the lever in one direction through a first portion of an arc causes pivoting of the bolt in the first plane out of engagement with a strike mounted at the edge of the opening of the cabinet and further rotation causes deflecting of the bolt to provide clearance of the bolt from the strike to enable opening of the door. Preferably, a door switch is mounted on the housing and has a switch actuating member pivotably mounted on the housing which member engages the strike and depresses the switch when the door is in the sealing position.

17 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTED Him 7 I974 SHL'ET 2 BF 3 ROTARY HANDLE DOOR LATCH FOR DISHWASHERS BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is directed to a latch mechanism or device and preferably a latch device for holding a closure or door in a sealing position with respect to an opening of an enclosure or cabinet.

2. Prior Art To hold the door in a latched position in a closure various latch structures have been proposed. An example is in a pivotable mounted bolt which is held in a latching position with a stop or strike by a dog or paw disposed on a flexible member. To release the bolt, the dog is deflected out of engagement with the bolt to allow the bolt to pivot and disengage the stop or strike.

In a cabinet structure of various home appliances such as automatic dishwashers, ovens and other similar appliances, a latch device must insure that the closure member is held in tight sealing relation with the opening of the enclosure of the cabinet. For example, in dishwashers, the latch device must hold the door against a seal or gasket which is provided at the opening of the enclosure of the cabinet to prevent leaking of water from the washing chamber. Thus, latch devices for these appliances are provided with a linkage to both move the bolt into and out of engagement with the strike plate and move the bolt relative to the door to draw the door up against the seal. It is also desirable that the latch device include means to de-energize the dishwashing device when the desired seal is broken. An example of such a latching device has been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,415,961, which issued to W. C. Barnard on Dec. 10, 1968.

Another known latch device, disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,325,200, provides a bolt which moves into engagement with a strike and draws the door onto a gasket in the opening, has a latch member or bolt which has an elongated slot received on a mounting or pivot pin to enable both pivotable and linear movement of the bolt relative to the door. To pivot the latch member and to shift it relative to its pivot point, the latch member is provided with a pin which is engaged in a groove in the housing of the device and is also engaged in a groove of a rotatable plate which is connected to an actuating handle or lever. The two grooves are designed so that during the first portion of movement of the handle. the latch member is pivoted into engagement with the strike plate and during the second portion of movement of the handle, the latch member is moved linearly to tightly draw the door onto the seal.

While both the above two examples of a latch device provide the desired function of latching a door enclosure and obtaining a tight engagement with the gasket of the opening, both examples require a large number of parts which are in a complicated arrangement. Thus, both of the referred to examples of a latch device are expensive to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a latch device having a two-step operation and which is easy to construct and inexpensive to manufacture. The latch device of the present invention includes a strike, an actuating lever, and a bolt which has a contact surface for engaging the strike which is mounted to define an edge of an opening. The bolt is mounted on the closure for pivotable movement of the contact surface in a first plane between a position which tightly engages the strike to draw the closure into a sealing position in the opening and a second position which releases the closure from a sealing position. The bolt is deflectable for movement of the contact surface in a second plane to move the bolt into and out of alignment for engagement with the strike. The operating lever is interconnected to the bolt and is rotatable through a given are with the first segment of the are causing the pivoting of the bolt in the first plane and the second or remaining segment of the arc of rotation deflecting the bolt in the second plane. Preferably, the actuating lever has a portion such as a pin which is engaged in a slot formed in the bolt which provides cam surfaces that cooperate with the portion to produce movement in both the first and second planes. Preferably, the latch device includes means for indicating when the bolt has drawn the closure into the sealing position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 illustrates a front loading dishwasher with the door in open position and with portions of the dishwasher broken away for illustration which dishwasher is an example of an appliance for which the latch device of the present invention is particularly adapted;

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the dishwasher of FIG. I having the latch device of the present invention installed thereon;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the latch device of FIG. 2 taken substantially along lines III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the latch device while in a partially unlatched position;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken along the lines V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to the cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 with the device fully out of engagement with the strike; and

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the strike of the present invention showing its relationship with the bolt.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The principles of the present invention are particularly useful for providing a latch device or mechanism for holding an enclosure in a sealing position in an opening of an enclosure. While the'latch mechanism may be used on various other appliances having a hinged door, they are particularly useful in a dishwasher such as a front loading dishwasher generally indicated at 10 in FIG. I.

The front loading dishwasher 10 has a cabinet 11 with a top 12. The cabinet 11 is provided with an opening 13 on one side which allows entry into a washing chamber or enclosure 14. The opening 13 is provided with a seal or gasket 15 which extends around the sides and top of the opening. To close the opening 13, a closure such as a hollow door 16 is pivotably connected to the bottom of the opening and is movable from a position illustrated in FIG. 1 to a position closing the opening 13. When in the closed position, an inner panel 19 of the door 16 tightly engages the gasket 15 to provide a sealing position to prevent leakage of water from the chamber 14.

As illustrated, the inner panel 19 of the door 16 has mounted thereon silverware baskets 20 and 21, a detergent dispenser 22, a rinse additive dispenser having a filling cap 23 and a discharge opening 24, and a vent opening 25 which allows hot humid air to escape from the chamber 14 during a drying cycle. Mounted in the hollow door 16 beneath the panel 19 is a timer 27 which is utilized to control various cycles of washing, draining or rinsing and drying along with the dispensing of the rinse additive.

Within the washing chamber 14 are movable dish racks 30 and 31. To provide a spray of washing and rinsing liquid to the dishes in the racks 30 and 31, a pump 32 is disposed in a recessed or depressed sump area 33 in a bottom wall 34 of the chamber 14. To remove food particles from the liquid prior to being circulated by the pump, a filter screen 35 is provided. The pump 32, which is driven by a motor 36, has two pump chambers (not shown) to provide washing liquid under pressure to a lower spray arm 37 and through an outlet 38 to an upper spray arm 39 which is attached beneath the upper dish rack 30 by a mount which enables the arm 39 to be free to rotate. The pump 32, which provides a washing liquid under pressure to the spray arms 37 and 39 during a washing cycle, pumps the washing liquid to a drain (not shown) through a discharge conduit 40 during a draining or pump-out portion of the cycle. To fill the washing chamber 14, a washing liquid is introduced from an appropriate source by a conduit to pass through an inlet valve 46, and a conduit 47 to an inlet opening 48 which is provided in a wall of the chamber 14. The valve 46 contains a flow control washer to limit the flow through the valve to a given flow rate. A heating element 49 is provided in the chamber 14 to heat the washing liquid during the wash cycle and to heat the air during a drying cycle.

To hold the door 16 in a sealing position on the gasket or seal 15, a latch device generally indicated at 50 in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 is provided. The device 50 includesthe strike or strike plate 51 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 7) which is secured by appropriate fastening elements in the opening 13 of cabinet 11 to define an edge portion thereof. The remaining portion of the latch device 50 iscontained in a housing 52 having a sidewall 52a, partial sidewall 52b, end walls 622: and 62b and lower wall 72. The housing is mounted in the hollow door 16 in a space between the inner panel 19 and an outer panel 53 of the door or closure 16. The panel 19 has a peripheral flange19a that is attached to the outer panel 53 to form the space therebetween. The flange 19a is provided with a cut-out portion or opening 54 to furnish clearance for the strike 51 and enable portions of the latch device contained in the housing 52 to engage the strike. To mount the housing 52 in the desired position with respect to the opening 54, the housing is provided with a pair of mounting ears 55a and 55b which are secured to the flange 19a by conventional means. Ear 55b extends from the partial sidewall 52b, and ear 55a extends from sidewall 52a (FIGS. 2 and 3).

The latch device 50 includes a bolt member 56 which at one end has means forming a contact surface 57 for engaging the strike 51. The bolt 56, which is preferably formed of spring sheet metal and has a bent portion to form the contact surface 57, is mounted at an end opposite the contact surface 57 on the housing sidewall 52a by a pivotable connection or mounting S8. The bolt 56 can be pivoted on the mounting 58 with the contact surface 57 moving in a first plane from a first or partially latched position, out of tight engagement with the strike 51 (FIG. 4) to a second or latched position in tight engagement with the strike (FIG. 2) which second position draws the inner panel 19 into tight engagement with the gasket 15 and the door into a sealing position.

Since the bolt 56 is formed of spring sheet metal, it is also bendable or deflectable to enable moving the contact surface 57 in a second plane, which is substantially perpendicular to the first plane and which movement is best illustrated in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. When the bolt is in the first or partially latched position (FIG. 5) the contact surface 57 is in alignment for engagement with a hook portion 59 of the strike 51. By deflecting or bending of the bolt 56 to a deflected position (FIG. 6), the contact surface 57 is offset from the first plane and from alignment for engagement with the hook 59 of the strike 51. With the bolt 56 in the deflected position, the bolt 56 has clearance from the strike so that the door 16 can be pivoted to the open position of FIG. 1.

To pivot the bolt 56 in the first plane and to deflect it into the second plane of motion, an operating lever, generally indicated at 60, has a portion for engaging the bolt 56 to cause movement in both the first and second planes. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the operating lever 60 comprises a rod 61 rotatably mounted in the housing by being received in a pair of aligned apertures formed in the parallel extending housing end wall portions 62a, 62b. To prevent axial shifting of the rod 61, means such as pins 63 are provided. A portion of the rod 61 extends through an opening 64 in the outer wall 53 and is connected to a dial or circular handle 65 having a generally arcuate ridge portion 65a providing finger gripping surfaces for manipulation of lever 60.

The portion of the operating lever 60 which engages the bolt 56 comprises a pin 66 extending transversely to the axis of the rod 61 and preferably perpendicular thereto. When the rod 61 is rotated, the pin 66 moves in a plane extending substantially parallel to the second plane of movement of the contact surface 57. The pin 66 extends into a slot 67 (FIGS. 2 and 4) which is formed in the spring sheet metal bolt 56 and is provided with a continuous flange 68 (FIG. 5) to form a double acting cam surface. The double acting cam surface of the slot 67 has a first portion 69 (FIG. 4) which cooperates with the pin 66 to cause the pivotable movement of the contact surface 57 about mounting 58 between the first and second positions. The first portion 69 terminates at one end of the slot 67 in a second portion 70 which cooperates with the pin 66 to cause deflecting of the bolt 56 to move the contact surface 57 in the second plane.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the pin 66 has one end 66a extending through slot 67 and an opening 96 in the wall 52a of the housing and another end 66b which is engaged by biasing means, illustrated as the spring 71, which is anchored to the lower wall or flange 72 of the housing 52. The spring 71 urges the rod 61 and pin 66 in a counterclockwise direction of rotation to move the one end 66a into the portion 70 of the slot 67. To prevent the spring 71 from rotating the rod 61 to move the end 66:; toward portion 70 of the slot 67 when the latch device 50 is holding the door 16 in a sealing position, the first portion 69 of the slot 67 is provided with a reversed curve to form a bump or over center catch 73 (FIG. 4). When pivoting the bolt 56 to the second position, the pin 66' has an over center travel in the cam portion 69 which travel will maintain the contact surface 57 in tight engagement with the hook portion 59 of the strike 51. The hump 73, thus prevents the spring 71 from rotating the shaft 61 to pivot the bolt 56 to the partially latched position.

In operation of the latch device 50, assuming that the door 16 and latch are in the sealed and latched positions as illustrated in FIG. 2, initial rotation of the shaft 61 in a counterclockwise direction causes the pin 66 to move in the slot 67 from portion 69 to portion 70 to pivot the bolt 56 in the first plane from a position of tight engagement with the hook 59 to release the panel 19 from tight sealing engagement with the gasket 15. The door 16 will thus assume the partially latched position illustrated in FIG. 4. As the pin end 66a moves into portion 70 of the slot 67, the flange 68 adjacent portion 70 cams the bolt 56 along the axis of the pin 66 to cause the deflecting or bending of the bolt 56 in the second plane to offset surface 57 from the path of the hook portion 59 (see FIG. 6). When the contact surface 57 is in the position shown in FIG. 6, and in broken lines in FIG. 7, the bolt 56 is free from the strike 51 and the door 16 is free to be completely opened. A rotation of the shaft 61 in an arc of approximately 90 will move the pin 66 from the latched position illustrated in FIG. 2 to the partially latched position illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5. Further rotation of the rod 61 in an arc portion beyond the 90 arc causes the deflection of the bolt 56 to the deflected position of FIG. 6.

Due to the relationship of the spring 71 and the elasticity of the bolt 56, releasing of the force applied to the handle 65 when the bolt is in the deflected position of FIG. 6 will allow the bolt to return to the partially latched position illustrated in FIG. 5. Thus, the latch device 50 will hold the door in a partially closed position until the bolt is manually deflected to allow complete opening.

To close the door from an open position illustrated in FIG. 1, the bolt 56 is provided with a cam surface 75 which will engage a cam surface 76 (FIG. 7) on the hook portion 59 of strike 51 to deflect the bolt 56 to enable movement thereby. Thus, during closing of the door, the bolt 56 will allow a partial latching by the bolt 56 snapping past the hook portion 59. A rotation of the rod 61 by turning the handle 65 approximately 90 in a clockwise direction will cause the pin end 66a to move in the slot 67 to pivot the bolt 56 to the latched position in tight engagement with the hook portion 59 which movement urges the inner panel 19 tightly against the gasket 15.

Since it is desirable to prevent any splashing of a washing liquid out of the chamber 14 when opening the door 16 of a dishwasher 10, the latch device 50 is provided with door switch means generally indicated at 80, which means deenergizes the electrical circuit for the pump when the door 16 is moved from the sealing position as illustrated in FIG. 2. The door switch means 80 includes a switch 81 connected in the circuit of motor 36 which is a switch having a plunger 82 and which is mounted on the housing end wall 62b by a clip 83. A switch actuating lever or member 84, which has a leg or portion for overlying the plunger or contact 82 of the switch 81 (FIG. 3) is pivotably mounted on the housing 52 adjacent the wall 62b. The member 84 has a second leg portion 86 spaced from the portion 85 by a U-shaped slot 87. The second leg portion 86 terminates in a curbed portion 88 to limit the pivotal travel of member 84. The member 84 has an edge portion 89 which rides against a bent tab 90 on an upper portion of the housing end wall 62b. The coaction of the edge 89 on the tab 90 and slot 87 on the top of end wall 52a provides a pivotable mounting for the member 84. Immediately above the edge portion 89, the member 84 has a first bend 91 and a second bend 92 arranged in an S-shaped configuration to provide an offset tab 93. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the switch element 81 is mounted on the outside of the housing 52 and the member 84 is mounted with the slot 87 allowing the leg portion 85 to be disposed outside of the housing sidewall 52a for engagement with the plunger 82 and the portion 86 inside of the housing.

When the latch 50 is in the latched position (FIG. 2) the tab 93 engages a front surface or portion 94 (FIG. 7) of the strike plate 51 to pivot the member 84 against a spring element 95 so that the legportion 85 depresses the plunger 82 of the switch 81. When the rod 61 has been rotated approximately 90 to pivot the bolt 56 to the partially latched position (FIG. 4), the spring 95 acting in the area of the bend 91 pivots the element or member 84 on the bend 90 until the curved portion 88 engages an inner surface of the housing end wall 62b. As illustrated, the rotation of the member 84 in a counterclockwise direction raises the leg 85 off of the plunger 82 of the switch 81 and the switch interrupts or breaks the circuit for the motor 36 driving the pump 32. When the door is moved to the sealing position, the tab 93 engages the surface 94 to pivot the member 84 against the force of the spring 95 to depress the plunger 82 to close circuit contacts in the switch 81.

In the embodiment illustrated, a required rotation of the rod 61 through approximately 90 of arc to pivot the bolt 56 from one position to a second position provides sufficient time to de-energize the motor 36 driving the pump 32. When the latch moves from the latched position illustrated in FIG. .2 to the partially latched position of FIG. 4, the pump is de-energized with sufficien t speed to prevent splashing of the washing liquid through the partial opening.

Although various minor modifications may be suggested by those versed in the art, we wish to include within the patent granted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within our contribution to the art.

The embodiment of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

I. In a dishwasher having means for defining an opening, and a closure for selectively closing said opening, latching means for holding said closure in a position sealing said opening, said latching means comprising:

a strike defining an edge portion of said opening;

a bolt having a surface means for contacting said strike, said bolt mounted on the closure for pivotal movement of said surface means in a first plane to draw the closure into a sealing position in the opening and to release the closure from the sealing position, and said bolt being deflectable for movement of said surface means in a second plane to move the bolt into and out of alignment for engagement with the strike; and

an operating lever interconnected to said bolt and being rotatable through a given arc, said lever pivoting said bolt in said first plane during rotation in one portion of the arc and deflecting said bolt in the second plane during rotation in the remaining portion of the arc so that rotation of the lever in one direction through the arc releases the closure from the sealing position and then disengages the bolt from the strike to allow moving the closure away from the opening and rotation in the opposite direction causes the bolt after alignment with the strike to draw the closure into the sealing position.

2. In a structure according to claim I, wherein said bolt has means defining double acting cam surfaces engageable by a portion of said actuating lever, said double acting cam surfaces having a first portion causing the pivoting of the bolt in the first plane and said double acting cam surfaces terminating at one end in a second portion engageable by the lever to cause movement in the second plane.

3. In a structure according to claim 2, wherein said double acting cam surfaces are defined by a slot in the bolt, said slot receiving a portion of the lever.

4. In a structure according to claim 3, wherein the actuating lever comprising a rod rotatably mounted in the closure, and a pin extending transverse to the axis of the rod and into the slot,'said device further including means engaging the pin to bias it in one direction of rotation.

5. In a structure according to claim 4, wherein the biasing means urges the pin towards the second portion of the cam surface and said first portion has a reversed curve to provide an over center travel for the pin to resist the biasing means and to hold the closure in the sealing position.

6. In a structure according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a housing mountable in the closure, said housing having at least one wall portion on which the bolt is pivotably mounted, and a second wall portion providing rotational support for the actuating lever.

7. In a structure according to claim 6, wherein a switch having a plunger is mounted on said housing and the device further includes a switch actuating member mounted for pivotal movement on a wall portion of the housing for engaging a surface of the strike, said actuating member being pivoted by engagement with the strike to depress the plunger of the switch to provide an indication of the closure being in a sealing position.

8. In a structure according to claim 7, wherein biasing means are disposed on the housing engaging the switch actuating member to urge it out of engagement with the plunger as the closure is moved from the sealing position.

9. A latch device adapted for holding a closure in a sealing position with respect to an opening of an enclosure, said device comprising a strike adapted for mounting adjacent an edge of the opening;

a housing adapted for mounting on the closure adjacent an edge thereof;

a bolt having a contact surface for contacting said strike, said bolt being mounted on the housing for pivotal movement to move said surface in a first plane to draw the closure into the sealing position and to release the closure therefrom, said bolt being deflectable for moving said surface in a second plane extending transversely to the first plane to enable moving said surface into and out of alignment for engagement with said strike; and

an operating lever supported for rotation in said housing, said lever having a portion extending transversely to the axis of rotation and engaging said bolt, said portion moving through an arc during rotation of the lever with one portion of the are causing movement of the said surface in the first plane and the remaining portion of the are causing movement in said second plane wherein rotation of said lever to cause movement of said portion through said arc in one direction releases the closure from the sealing position and then disengages the bolt from the strike to'allow removing the closure from the opening and rotation of the lever in the opposite direction after alignment of the bolt for engagement with the strike draws the closure into a sealing position in the opening.

10. A latch device according to claim 9, wherein the bolt is provided with a slot forming a double acting cam surface-receiving said portion of the operating lever, said double acting cam surface having a first portion coacting with the portion of the lever to cause movement of said bolt in the first plane, said first portion terminating at one end in a second portion coacting with the portion of the lever for causing the movement of the bolt in said second plane.

11. A latch device according to claim 10, which further includes means biasing the portion of the operating lever into the second portion of the slot, and wherein the first portion includes a reverse curve spaced from the one end to provide an over center catch for the portion of the lever to hold the bolt in tight engagement with the strike so that when the lever is rotated to draw the closure into the sealing position in the opening, the over center catch'maintains the bolt in the position for holding the closure in the sealing position.

12. A latch device according to claim 1 1, wherein the operating lever comprises a rod and the portion is a pin extending perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rod, said rod being mounted in the housing for rotation with the pin moving in a plane parallel to the second plane.

' 13. A latch device according to claim 9, which further includes means for indicating when the closure has been drawn into the sealing position, said indicating means including a switch element adapted for connection to a switching circuit and having a plunger for applying actuation to the switch to close the contacts of the switch, a switch actuating member pivotally mounted on the housing with a portion engaged with the strike and a second portion overlying the plunger, and means disposed on the housing for urging the switch actuating member out of contact with the plunger, the plunger being depressed to indicate the closure being in a sealing position as the latch device draws the closure into said sealing position.

14. In a dishwasher, latch device adapted for holding a closure which is pivotably mounted in an opening of the dishwasher in a sealing position with respect to the opening, said device comprising:

a strike adapted for mounting adjacent an edge of the opening;

a housing adapted for mounting on the closure adjacent an edge thereof;

a bolt having a contact surface for contacting said strike, said bolt being mounted on the housing for pivotable movement in a first plane between a first position disengaged from the strike to a second position tightly engaging the strike to hold the closure in a sealing position in the opening, said bolt being deflectable for movement of the surface in a second plane from a position lying in the first plane to a deflected position offset therefrom; and

an operating lever supported for rotation in the housing, said lever having a portion extending transversely to the axis of rotation and engaging said bolt, said portion moving through an arc during rotation of the lever with one portion of the arc causing movement of said bolt in the first plane and the remaining portion of the are causing deflection of the bolt to the deflected position so that rotation of the lever through the arc in one direction shifts the bolt from the second position to the first position and then deflects the bolt to the third position out of the first plane and rotation in the opposite direction through the arc moves the bolt through the first position to the second position.

15. In a dishwasher according to claim 14, which further includes means for indicating when the bolt is in the second position, said means including a limit switch having a plunger, a switch actuation member movably mounted on the housing for actuating said switch, said member being movable by engagement with the strike as the bolt moves to the second position for actuating said switch.

16. In a dishwasher according to claim 15, in which the bolt is provided with a slot defining a double acting cam surface, said slot having a first portion coacting with the portion of the operating lever to pivot the bolt in the first plane and a second portion of the slot cooperating with the portion of the operating lever to deflect the bolt in the second plane.

17. In a dishwasher according to claim 16, which includes means biasing the operating lever in one direction to move the portion of the lever into the second portion of the slot and said first portion having a reverse curve to provide an over center catch for the portion of the lever to hold the bolt in the second position. 

1. In a dishwasher having means for defining an opening, and a closure for selectively closing said opening, latching means for holding said closure in a position sealing said opening, said latching means comprising: a strike defining an edge portion of said opening; a bolt having a surface means for contacting said strike, said bolt mounted on the closure for pivotal movement of said surface means in a first plane to draw the closure into a sealing position in the opening and to release the closure from the sealing position, and said bolt being deflectable for movement of said surface means in a second plane to move the bolt into and out of alignment for engagement with the strike; and an operating lever interconnected to said bolt and being rotatable through a given arc, said lever pivoting said bolt in said first plane during rotation in one portion of the arc and deflecting said bolt in the second plane during rotation in the remaining portion of the arc so that rotation of the lever in one direction through the arc releases the closure from the sealing position and then disengages the bolt from the strike to allow moving the closure away from the opening and rotation in the opposite direction causes the bolt after alignment with the strike to draw the closure into the sealing position.
 2. In a structure according to claim 1, wherein said bolt has means defining double acting cam surfaces engageable by a portion of said actuating lever, said double acting cam surfaces having a first portion causing the pivoting of the bolt in the first plane and said double acting cam surfaces terminating at one end in a second portion engageable by the lever to cause movement in the second plane.
 3. In a structure according to claim 2, wherein said double acting cam surfaces are defined by a slot in the bolt, said slot receiving a portion of the lever.
 4. In a structure according to claim 3, wherein the actuating lever comprising a rod rotatably mounted in the closure, and a pin extending transverse to the axis of the rod and into the slot, said device further including means engaging the pin to bias it in one direction of rotation.
 5. In a structure according to claim 4, wherein the biasing means urges the pin towards the second portion of the cam surface and said first portion has a reversed curve to provide an over center travel for the pin to resist the biasing mEans and to hold the closure in the sealing position.
 6. In a structure according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a housing mountable in the closure, said housing having at least one wall portion on which the bolt is pivotably mounted, and a second wall portion providing rotational support for the actuating lever.
 7. In a structure according to claim 6, wherein a switch having a plunger is mounted on said housing and the device further includes a switch actuating member mounted for pivotal movement on a wall portion of the housing for engaging a surface of the strike, said actuating member being pivoted by engagement with the strike to depress the plunger of the switch to provide an indication of the closure being in a sealing position.
 8. In a structure according to claim 7, wherein biasing means are disposed on the housing engaging the switch actuating member to urge it out of engagement with the plunger as the closure is moved from the sealing position.
 9. A latch device adapted for holding a closure in a sealing position with respect to an opening of an enclosure, said device comprising a strike adapted for mounting adjacent an edge of the opening; a housing adapted for mounting on the closure adjacent an edge thereof; a bolt having a contact surface for contacting said strike, said bolt being mounted on the housing for pivotal movement to move said surface in a first plane to draw the closure into the sealing position and to release the closure therefrom, said bolt being deflectable for moving said surface in a second plane extending transversely to the first plane to enable moving said surface into and out of alignment for engagement with said strike; and an operating lever supported for rotation in said housing, said lever having a portion extending transversely to the axis of rotation and engaging said bolt, said portion moving through an arc during rotation of the lever with one portion of the arc causing movement of the said surface in the first plane and the remaining portion of the arc causing movement in said second plane wherein rotation of said lever to cause movement of said portion through said arc in one direction releases the closure from the sealing position and then disengages the bolt from the strike to allow removing the closure from the opening and rotation of the lever in the opposite direction after alignment of the bolt for engagement with the strike draws the closure into a sealing position in the opening.
 10. A latch device according to claim 9, wherein the bolt is provided with a slot forming a double acting cam surface receiving said portion of the operating lever, said double acting cam surface having a first portion coacting with the portion of the lever to cause movement of said bolt in the first plane, said first portion terminating at one end in a second portion coacting with the portion of the lever for causing the movement of the bolt in said second plane.
 11. A latch device according to claim 10, which further includes means biasing the portion of the operating lever into the second portion of the slot, and wherein the first portion includes a reverse curve spaced from the one end to provide an over center catch for the portion of the lever to hold the bolt in tight engagement with the strike so that when the lever is rotated to draw the closure into the sealing position in the opening, the over center catch maintains the bolt in the position for holding the closure in the sealing position.
 12. A latch device according to claim 11, wherein the operating lever comprises a rod and the portion is a pin extending perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rod, said rod being mounted in the housing for rotation with the pin moving in a plane parallel to the second plane.
 13. A latch device according to claim 9, which further includes means for indicating when the closure has been drawn into the sealing position, said indicating means including a switch element adapted for connection to a switchiNg circuit and having a plunger for applying actuation to the switch to close the contacts of the switch, a switch actuating member pivotally mounted on the housing with a portion engaged with the strike and a second portion overlying the plunger, and means disposed on the housing for urging the switch actuating member out of contact with the plunger, the plunger being depressed to indicate the closure being in a sealing position as the latch device draws the closure into said sealing position.
 14. In a dishwasher, latch device adapted for holding a closure which is pivotably mounted in an opening of the dishwasher in a sealing position with respect to the opening, said device comprising: a strike adapted for mounting adjacent an edge of the opening; a housing adapted for mounting on the closure adjacent an edge thereof; a bolt having a contact surface for contacting said strike, said bolt being mounted on the housing for pivotable movement in a first plane between a first position disengaged from the strike to a second position tightly engaging the strike to hold the closure in a sealing position in the opening, said bolt being deflectable for movement of the surface in a second plane from a position lying in the first plane to a deflected position offset therefrom; and an operating lever supported for rotation in the housing, said lever having a portion extending transversely to the axis of rotation and engaging said bolt, said portion moving through an arc during rotation of the lever with one portion of the arc causing movement of said bolt in the first plane and the remaining portion of the arc causing deflection of the bolt to the deflected position so that rotation of the lever through the arc in one direction shifts the bolt from the second position to the first position and then deflects the bolt to the third position out of the first plane and rotation in the opposite direction through the arc moves the bolt through the first position to the second position.
 15. In a dishwasher according to claim 14, which further includes means for indicating when the bolt is in the second position, said means including a limit switch having a plunger, a switch actuation member movably mounted on the housing for actuating said switch, said member being movable by engagement with the strike as the bolt moves to the second position for actuating said switch.
 16. In a dishwasher according to claim 15, in which the bolt is provided with a slot defining a double acting cam surface, said slot having a first portion coacting with the portion of the operating lever to pivot the bolt in the first plane and a second portion of the slot cooperating with the portion of the operating lever to deflect the bolt in the second plane.
 17. In a dishwasher according to claim 16, which includes means biasing the operating lever in one direction to move the portion of the lever into the second portion of the slot and said first portion having a reverse curve to provide an over center catch for the portion of the lever to hold the bolt in the second position. 